Nederland man to host life-changing fundraiser

BETH RANKIN

Published
12:00 am CST, Saturday, December 5, 2009

Born with cerebral palsy, Nederland resident Richard Handley said he is able to live almost symptom-free while undergoing regular treatment in a hyperbaric chamber. Handley is holding a benefit concert Wednesday night at Star Bar to raise money to purchase a chamber. Beth Rankin/The Enterprise less

Born with cerebral palsy, Nederland resident Richard Handley said he is able to live almost symptom-free while undergoing regular treatment in a hyperbaric chamber. Handley is holding a benefit concert ... more

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Born with cerebral palsy, Nederland resident Richard Handley said he is able to live almost symptom-free while undergoing regular treatment in a hyperbaric chamber. Handley is holding a benefit concert Wednesday night at Star Bar to raise money to purchase a chamber. Beth Rankin/The Enterprise less

Born with cerebral palsy, Nederland resident Richard Handley said he is able to live almost symptom-free while undergoing regular treatment in a hyperbaric chamber. Handley is holding a benefit concert ... more

Born with cerebral palsy, the 27-year-old Nederland resident has had more than 15 operations to improve his quality of life but nothing has given him substantial results, he said.

All of that changed three years ago when he was introduced to hyperbaric medicine.

Hyperbaric medicine, also known as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, is the medical use of a sealed chamber delivering 100 percent oxygen at greater than normal atmospheric pressures.

The treatment increases oxygen flow to all body tissues and often is used to treat carbon monoxide poisoning, air or gas embolisms, burns or decompression sickness.

"I started looking into it and I did a quick Google search for hyperbaric oxygen treatments and it turns out that there were 10 chambers in the country that treat cerebral palsy," he said, adding that most facilities that have a chamber wouldn't treat him because the therapy is not FDA-approved treatment for his condition.

But as it turned out, one of the 10 doing it was an hour and a half away in Webster.

Within a week he was at the clinic shelling out $6,800 for 40 treatments.

The results, he said, were dramatic and immediate.

"I was more flexible after a week in the chamber than I had been after 20 years of physical therapy," he said.

Handley said he was so flexible that on Thanksgiving he was able to walk out of his house without crutches -- holding a glass of wine - to greet a group of shocked friends.

All of a sudden, he said he could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Over the next eight weeks, between classes and study time, Handley said he drove over to Webster to receive treatment.

But when the facility closed unexpectedly, Handley found himself in an awkward position.

"The catch is, it's something you have to keep up," he said.

After it ended, Handley said he was back on crutches, with all of his newfound flexibility and freedom little more than a memory.

Now, with the help of a few industrious friends, Handley has decided to take his treatment into his own hands by raising money to buy his own hyperbaric chamber.

He organized a benefit concert for 9 p.m. Wednesday at Star Bar on Crockett Street, and through raffles and a $7 door charge, Handley said he hopes to raise a down payment to help him purchase the $17,000 piece of equipment.

"I want this chamber," he said. "I wanted it yesterday. I want it right now."

Handley said at first, the act of fundraising made him uncomfortable. But - still paying off loans for his previous treatments - Handley realized he just couldn't buy this chamber on his own.

So dozens of friends have come together to help him out.

The benefit show will feature performances from multiple bands, including local acts We Were Wolves, The Amorists and the Roaring 20's. The event also will feature an appearance by the Spindletop Roller Girls and raffles offering up restaurant and spa gift certificates and even two free tattoos from Gil Montie's Tattoomania.

Handley said he hopes to pack the Star Bar with as many people as he can both to raise funds and share the word about how hyperbaric medicine has changed his life.

Handley has created a blog at hhfund.tk where he will chronicle his improvement once he purchases the chamber.

Those who want to support Handley's quest but cannot attend the benefit can donate to him via paypal or can send a check to Melissa Handley at 1304 N. 22nd St. in Nederland. More information is available on the blog.

Until he raises enough money to buy his chamber, Handley will continue to use his crutches but says he dreams of a time when he will be able to do things as simple as light yoga.